1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of telecommunications and to an apparatus and method for managing telephony-based services. More particularly, the present invention relates to an intelligent or advanced application, such as an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) application, for managing the interaction and operation of a plurality of telephony-based services for subscribers.
2. Acronyms
The written description provided herein contains acronyms which refer to various communication services and system components. Although known, use of several of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of the written description herein, acronyms will be defined as follows:
10D--10 Digit Trigger PA1 AIN--Advanced Intelligent Network PA1 CCIS--Common Channel Interoffice Signaling PA1 CCS--Common Channel Signaling PA1 CO--Central Office PA1 CPR--Call Processing Record PA1 CPN--Calling Party Number PA1 DID--Direct Inward Dialing PA1 DLN--Dialed Line Number PA1 DRS--Data and Reports System PA1 EO--End Office PA1 FIM--Feature Interaction Manager PA1 ISCP--Integrated Service Control Point PA1 ISUP--ISDN Users Part PA1 LATA--Local Access and Transport Area PA1 MF--Multi-Frequency PA1 NANP--North American Numbering Plan PA1 NPA--Numbering Plan Area PA1 NXX--Central Office Code PA1 PRI--Primary Rate Interface PA1 PSTN--Public Switched Telephone Network PA1 SCE--Service Creation Environment PA1 SCP--Service Control Point PA1 SMS--Service Management System PA1 SS7--Signaling System 7 PA1 SSP--Service Switching Point PA1 STP--Signaling Transfer Point PA1 TAT--Termination Attempt Trigger PA1 TCAP--Transaction Capabilities Applications Part PA1 TG--Trunk Group PA1 TN--Telephone Number
3. Background Information
In recent years, a number of new telephone service features have been provided by an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN). The AIN evolved out of a need to increase the capabilities of the telephone network architecture to meet the growing needs of telephone customers or users. The AIN architecture generally comprises two networks, a data messaging network and a trunked communications network. The trunked communications network handles voice and data communications between dispersed network locations, whereas the data messaging network is provided for controlling operations of the trunked communications network.
An illustration of the basic components of an AIN architecture is shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, Service Switching Points (SSPs) 64-70 are provided for sending and receiving data messages from a Service Control Point (SCP) 56 via Signaling Transfer Points (STPs) 58-62. The data messages are communicated to and from the SSPs 64-70 and the SCP 56 along a Common Channel Signaling (CCS) network 88. Each SSP 64-70 routes telephone calls between a plurality of dispersed network stations 172-186. For example, SSPs 64-70 may route a telephone call between a calling station (e.g., station 172) and a called station (e.g., station 184) through trunks 90 and customer lines 92 (e.g., telephone lines). Stations 172-186 may comprise various customer or terminal equipment, such as a telephone unit (wired, cellular or mobile), a facsimile machine, and/or a modem attached to a personal computer.
More information regarding AIN may be found in various publications. See, for example, Berman, Roger K., and Brewster, John H., "Perspectives on the AIN Architecture," IEEE Communications Magazine, February 1992, pp. 27-32, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
A number of services or features provided by the prior AIN or AIN-type intelligent networks relate to specialized call processing or recording of incoming calls and call traffic. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,611,094 and 4,611,096, both to ASMUTH et al., disclose a system for providing custom incoming telephone call processing services to a subscriber operating at geographically diverse locations. A subscriber program stored in a central database is accessed to provide instructions to the SSPs to complete incoming calls to one of the subscriber locations in accordance with special services defined by the subscriber. The subscriber program controls the Action Control Points (ACPs) to string together the desired call processing capabilities to process each call. Specified parameters stored in the program, such as time of day, caller location and data inputted by the caller, determine the final destination to which each call should be completed.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,718, to McNABB, teaches centralized recording of call traffic information. The system provides a data gathering and recording function to the centralized database which stores the subscriber's call routing program. The subscriber's call routing program performs several functions, including presenting various announcements to callers, prompting callers for inputting information digits and collecting the resulting information digits, routing the call to a number provided by the subscriber, and performing final call dispositions other than routing to the telephone number provided by the subscriber. Processing of the call traffic information dynamically changes the subscriber's call routing program to reduce the number of blocked calls to the subscriber's telephone numbers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,373, to LEE et al., discloses a system to provide telephone services to a subscriber on a personal basis when the subscriber is away from his or her home base or office. A nationally accessible database, via the CCIS, stores the subscriber's feature data in association with a personal identification number (PIN). A subscriber wishing to use personalized features while away from a home base or office, dials a special code from a station connected to any exchange which has access to the database and enters a PIN. The station then provides telephone service to the subscriber based on the subscriber's personalized telephone service.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,247,571, to KAY et al., discloses an Area Wide Centrex system to provide specialized calling features to stations connected to a plurality of central offices. Each of the central office switching points connects to a number of local telephone lines. The features are extended to the local telephone lines by taking the programming intelligence out of the central offices and moving it to a database located in a central location, such as an SCP. Service features are controlled by the central database and are changed by reprogramming the service logic located at the central database. A variety of service features are provided including extension number dialing and call transfer across groups of lines connected to different exchanges.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,331, to EMERY et al., discloses an AIN system which connects to, and controls processing of, calls to a subscriber's wireless handset via a home base station or wireless communication network. In response to calls directed to the subscriber's wireless handset, the AIN determines where the handset is located using a central database and routes the call to that location. The incoming call can be routed directly to the handset, blocked, or routed to an alternate termination point. In response to calls from the handset, the central database provides instruction data to the land line network to extend a requested special service to the subscriber.
While prior AIN or AIN-type intelligent network applications have provided various call screening and processing features to customers and end users, such past attempts have not addressed the problems which may occur when a subscriber wishes to subscribe to multiple AIN aor AIN-type services. In particular, the prior art has not addressed the many issues associated with feature interaction and prioritization among a plurality of subscriber services. Unacceptable or improperly managed feature interaction and prioritization may create a situation where a calling party cannot complete a call to the called subscriber, thus creating frustration and confusion among calling parties. Still further, the prior art has not addressed nor managed service interaction where different or varying AIN releases and protocols, and different or varying triggers are implemented throughout the AIN network.
Such features would be highly desirable to subscribers of multiple AIN-related services, and would provide many advantages to end users and customers, such as providing customers with more service options and preventing misdirected or blocked calls.